Monday, March 7, 2011

Thank goodness for England. Without England, this World Cup would be nothing more than a damp squib, devoid of any excitement or any way of getting the juices flowing. After a winter of genuine thrills, this encore has failed to gather any momentum. The Ashes, this is not.

Much has been written and said about this format of the game. Does this tournament signal the death knell of the 50 over one day game? Much will depend on whether it delivers in the knockout stages and also how the IPL, which follows hot on its heels, is received globally.

One thing is for sure, whoever was responsible for deciding on a month long group stage needs a reality check. During the football World Cup, there are often 3 games a day. Set across India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, there are plenty of grounds for multiple games to be played daily. Canada vs. Kenya as today’s singular fixture was never going to set pulses racing.

OK so we’ve had a couple of hat tricks, the fastest century at a World Cup and some lusty hitting using T20 tactics but these have been the exception rather than the norm. Far too many teams are simply going through the motions and frankly it’s all a bit underwhelming.

Back to England. What a rollercoaster so far. A hugely unconvincing win over the Dutch was at least still a win. Then a pulsating game against hosts India saw the game swing first one way, then back another and in the end though England escaped with a draw, they really should have won once Strauss and Bell had laid the foundations of a record run chase.

This performance should have given them great heart in a game they were expected to lose but signs of sloppiness evident in the first two games really came to the fore against the plucky Irish who really looked dead and buried at 111-5 chasing 328. The bookies had them at 400-1 to recover and win the game at that stage and no one was going to take that!

After capitulating, the spotlight has firmly been on a couple of players, notably James Anderson who looks a pale shadow of his usual self. The magnificent Ashes effort and the birth of his child appear to have taken their toll.

Hitherto, the batsmen had proved their worth but against arguably the best bowling attack in world cricket, England’s batting line up wilted and they were bowled out for 172, well below par. South Africa started the chase well but seem to find it hard to shake off the long associated tag of ‘chokers’ and following a much more disciplined performance from the England bowlers, succumbed a few runs short.

KP’s exit from the tournament may not be a disaster. His replacement Eoin Morgan is one of the canniest one day players in world cricket and is adept at keeping the scoreboard ticking over. This will undoubtedly be a valuable trait as the tournament progresses when clever nibbling and nurdling in the middle overs will be required.

Elsewhere, well there really is nothing to note so far. You never quite know what you’ll get from Pakistan but they’ve started well. Bangladesh have generally been a huge disappointment on home territory falling to an embarrassing all time low world cup total of 58 against the Windies, of who not much is really expected.

India have been steady. There are harder tests to come but they look a well balanced side and the game against the South Africans this weekend could be a belter. Sehwag’s world cup opening innings will live long in the memory, and both the Little Master and young pretender Kohli have already cashed in. Their batting line up is truly supreme. The Turbanator will have a big role to play as the tournament reaches its key stage. A nation expects and the pressure is on.

Let’s hope for a couple of cracking games this week as I’ve not spoken to anyone yet who is the least bit enthralled with this tournament and it needs a game or two more like the epic England vs. India game from last weekend.

England play Bangladesh next. Should be an easy victory given the hosts’ wretched form but you never quite know what to expect from England and at the moment that uncertainty is the only thing keeping this tournament alive. Just.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Remember the date – March 6th 2011. This is the date that Sir Alex Ferguson has been awaiting for nearly 25 years. He swept into Old Trafford with a hard-nosed reputation and promised to do two things. Firstly to sort out the mess he found at once great club Manchester United that had failed to win a title in the top flight for nearly 2 decades (then) but more famously his personal remit was clear – he wanted to knock Liverpool off their effing perch. It was a tall ask and a bold claim. Liverpool’s title count was double that of United. There was no expectation that United would close that gap for at least another half century. That they are on the verge of their 19th title within a quarter of a century is an achievement that will surely be unrivalled.

Liverpool vs. United is the first date I look for when the fixture list is announced. Two clubs steeped in history but enjoying contrasting fortunes in the last 20 years come head to head once more and there is much, much more to this game then mere bragging rights.

Here’s the equation. If United win, they edge ever closer to a record 19th title at the expense of their most hated rivals and Fergie’s prophecy comes true, his legendary status complete. If Liverpool win, the knock on effect could demoralise United and give rivals fresh impetus to get over the finishing line first, notably Arsenal. A draw is probably no good to either side but would probably just favour United.

I’m not expecting a good game. The result is far too important. Liverpool come into the game on the back of yet another wretched defeat. A club used to success must wonder how it could have got this bad. United, too, come off the back of a defeat though their performance was by no means poor and indeed during the first half played Chelsea off the park in their own backyard. That they succumbed to defeat from a winning position is clear proof that this is not quite the United of the last decade. It was an undeserved defeat with United on the end of some poor decisions but even the most one-eyed Red must admit that United have been the beneficiaries of a few dodgy decisions across the season so these cannot be used as an excuse. Moreover, it confirms gathering opinion that this is a very average team with a deeply average midfield. Once Scholes ran out of puff, momentum was lost and Chelsea were able to dictate the pace of the game. United teams of old would never have let this happen.

Liverpool’s defeat at West Ham was most notable for how the home side, desperately fighting relegation, simply wanted it more. There should be no danger of Liverpool failing to be ‘up for it’ against United. This is one thing that is a given. There may be a stark lack of quality in the squad but each player will know they have to give absolutely everything tomorrow. The question is will this be enough? On paper United have the better players. Liverpool are in the process of rebuilding and need to simply write this season off but man for man, United are currently better. History proves that this means nothing. In many of United’s title winning seasons, they have succumbed in this fixture, lost the battle but won the war.

The most concerning element of the defeat to Chelsea was not the result, certainly not the performance. It was Vidic’s sending off which could prove pivotal. If it’s true that Andy Carroll is ready to make his debut tomorrow, United have reason to be concerned defensively, shorn of their best player this season by a distance. Poor Vidic. He must have been looking forward to facing Liverpool without Torres, the one player who has genuinely managed to get the better of him over the years.United will miss Vidic’s authority and the defence will be tested but they will cope. I am more worried about the midfield. Fergie has made some terrific decisions over the years but it is alarming how much faith he continues to show in the current midfield. More alarming that all said midfielders are signing new contracts speaks volumes of the lack of funds available to United under the ownership of the Glazers. Yet, why complain. This team keep winning.

Liverpool will hope their big players perform. It would probably have been better had United not lost at Chelsea. They may have been more complacent. History has also told us that teams should beware a ‘wounded’ United.

Ferguson may not have told his players that this is the most pivotal game of his entire reign but hopefully they will perform as if they already know.